New Norwegian passports hailed as ‘beautiful’

New Norwegian passports that can change appearance under UV light have been praised for their blend of form and function.

Developed by Oslo design studio Neue, the passports have a plain red cover featuring a Norwegian crest. There are turquoise covers for diplomats, and grey for immigrants.

The design magic is inside, with a scene of icy peaks overlooking a body of water changing to reveal the Northern Lights when placed under a UV light.

“The winning passport design is beautiful in its simplicity”, wrote the Independent.

“The current look isn't quite final, as anti-counterfeiting measures and other security features still need to be built in, but it does represent the general aesthetic that Norway is going for — which is, in a word, gorgeous”, added tech magazine The Verge.

“It would be a shame to stamp over the scene of fjords with visas”, noted Citylab. The travel documents are due to come into service by 2017.